Happy Friday! It’s been a quieter week this week which has been lovely, mostly doing greenhouse bits outside. I have a friend staying this weekend too, so lots of hiking to come!

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish discussion meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and co-hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits and Dini @DiniPandaReads. Each Friday, bloggers will write posts about a particular topic and share on their blog.

This week it’s a freebie week, so I have chosen a topic from October 2024: How does reading connect to your life?

Are there ways that the books you read connect to your life?

Absolutely. While I am primarily a fantasy reader, if you’ve been here for a bit, then you know that I also read a lot of non-fiction and that most of it is environmental in some way. In my ‘real life’, I work in horticulture, have a background in ecology and a huge passion for climate change and sustainable futures. I have actually been dipping into climate fiction too recently, so a lot of my reading connects to my life these days!

Do you like to read books that relate to your non-bookish hobbies or interests, like sports or art?

I really do. I exclusively read environmental non-fiction because of its relation to my life and work. I think it helps me be a better horticulturist, and human, let’s be honest! Aside from that, I do quite like fiction books that involve books or libraries (what bookworm doesn’t?), plants (of course), and if a character knits I automatically want to be friends with them. Aside from fiction with plants, I don’t purposefully seek out fiction that relates to me, though.

Do the books that connect to your life tend to be more fiction or nonfiction (or both)?

Non-fiction for sure. Though, as I mentioned, I have also started reading some climate fiction, but I don’t want it to take over all of my reading. There’s only so much one can take on the subject! Plus I’d miss my fun fantasy too.

Have you ever discovered a new hobby from reading a book? 

I haven’t. I am someone who collects hobbies like they’re going out of fashion so I’ve likely tried most of them anyway! Although in saying that, having read a non-fiction book about Folk recently, I am getting an itch to start a folk collection of my own…

You Tell Me – Do you like to read books that relate to your real life?